Villarocker Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi General, You may or may not be aware that England's cricket team beat the Australians to win back the Ashes on Sunday. To give my support to the team, I logged into the official England website to leave a message on their message board which is called the "twelfth man", which is shown to the players. I basically wished them luck and gave a few words of encouragement. I was wondering if it would be possible, or advantageous, for Villa's official site to have something like this, so that the fans could leave messages of support for the boys pre-match? If you didn't want to make it a permanent fixture that got in the way of the normal pre-match routine, maybe you could use it for the higher profile games where the fans could try and gee the lads up just a little bit more. I think a "twelfth man" message board would be a good way of showing the lads that the fans are behind them, by us offering words of encouragement, and make up a little for the booing that's been going on of late! Just a thought - UP THE VILLA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 General, Kevin MacDonalds' lads did us proud last night with their 4-0 win against Chelsea. That team performance would cause the likes of Rapid Vienna and Fulham all sorts of problems. We've now got two teams that can go out there and do a job. Don't let any one tell you we don't have strength in depth. UP THE VILLA!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-krulak Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 General Krulak here: 1. The "12th Man"...I like it...a good idea. I have no problem taking a good idea and using it for OUR Club. I will see what I can do. 2. Stringy: I spoke with Nicky Keye and she asked that you call her at 0121 326 1528...please give her a call. 3. DUNTONVILLA: We expect around 23.5 thousand at the Thursday game. This includes about 1200 away fans. We sold 2182 tickets yesterday. 4. Raver50032: Your post was very thoughtprovoking and raises a few good points. I certainly understand the frustration that comes from a lack of information. The key is to meet the expectations of the Fans with regards to information without giving our opponents or the folks we are negotiating with something to use against us. As an example, if we say we are looking at "X-Player" then we automatically tip our hand and negotiations get much harder...or it opens up the player to "bidding". None of this is good for our Club. At the same time, I do take your point and will see if something can be done to provide some sort of update...even if it is simply that we have an "iron in the fire." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Thanks for looking into my idea for a "12th man" message board General. I will send you a pm so you can take a look at how it works for the England cricket team! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little8Rioch Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 General A question for you concerning transfers (don't panic mods). I'm sure everybody connected with the club gets a buzz when a transfer target is successfully signed, particularly when a lot of time and effort has been invested in getting the player. it is certainly good as a fan when we sign a big name player. I may be in the minority but I actually prefer it when one of the youth team comes through and makes it, because in some ways it just seems to mean more. The investment in the development of the player might actually be greater than £4m or £5m being spent on a transfer. The current situation with the defenders is the classic case. I hope Clark or Baker or Lowry come through and take the shirt rather than a new signing. How do you feel on this, is the "buzz" greater when when we sign player or "one of our own" makes it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-krulak Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 General Krulak here: 1. Re. North Stand...I like the idea of selling the old seats. 2. Little8Rioch: I do think there is a little extra "pride" in growing our own but...it is really nice when a stud comes in from the outside too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bully Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 General, When can we expect to see you back at VP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heystally! Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hi General, I'm normally a big supporter and defender of MON, but tonight he got it plain wrong, and going out of Europe at the Playoff Stage is just absolutely unacceptable. How can we push the ambition of our club (a factor in our latest signings decision to join us) when we are not even in a European competition which we could have, and indeed should have, won with comfort? We go to Anfield Monday and win 3-1, yet cannot even beat Rapid Wien, cannot even play better than Rapid Wien, over two legs. Atrocious. Let's look at the story of the season so far. We lost to Wigan 2-0, played a 4-4-2 formation, and looked lost and overrun in the midfield. We lost to Wien 1-0, played 4-4-2, and had absolutely no creativity from midfield, whilst again looking overrun. We beat Liverpool away 3-1, played 4-5-1, looked solid and assured in midfield, and dominated the Liverpool midfielders. Then tonight we go back to 4-4-2, and again we looked overrun. It is not difficult to see what the factor is in that chain of games. Anyone could see that we played well in a 4-5-1, yet MON changes back to 4-4-2 and we looked worse than Monday against a team who are nowhere near as good as Liverpool, a Champions League team who regularly go far in that cup. There is only one person to blame for our exit from Europe, and that is MON. I'm not saying it's time to go, far from it. But I just find it hard to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hi Gen. Thought it was a good display in the main today. some good passing, possession football on the deck. Nice to see. Pass my regards to Martin and the players. Much improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razor Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Very dissapointing General, after finally going back to 4-5-1 and getting a result (like everyone knew we would), he goes and undoes all our hard work last season and goes back to a formation that has proved not to work. Simply not good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ricardomeister Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 General, I was very critical of the lack of effort and backbone in the Wigan game but I could not fault the effort tonight. However, imo, Rapid thoroughly deserved to advance over the 2 legs because they were better than us in terms of passing, creating chances and tactics. The fact that they, in European terms, are distinctly average highlights the lack of top quality at Villa. I think that tonight may well be the last European match at Villa for some time as we simply do not have the quality that the Sky 4, Man City and Spurs have. My expectation for us, although I hope to be proved wrong, is a mid-table finish....not the end of the world but neither does it instil me with great excitement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 HeyStally, we played 4-5-1 against Wien in the first leg and lost 1-0 actually, won 2-1 in the second leg playing 4-4-2. O'Neill just needs to make subsitutions that's it, it was clear midfield were getting tired. anyway. Hi Gen, How many are you expecting for the Fulham game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark8691 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Disappointing to fall at the first European hurdle. I fear we're a team going backwards General. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom_Wren Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 *General, let me preface my question with this: I am not asking this question, to use the information for 'bashing' of the staff, or club. Genuinely interested in the answer. If you feel the info would in any way bring the staff or club any undue 'aggro' please pm the answer and i will not share it. Ta* Q: What are the coaching qualifications in terms of coaching badges of our coaching staff. Below i have listed the staff per the offical site. Please feel free to copy and paste the staff and add there qualification (e.g Uefa A, B etc..) Martin O' Neil: John Robertson: Steve Walford: Seamus McDonagh: Bryan Jones: Steve Burns: Tony McAndrew: Gordan Cowans: Rafa: Mark Delaney: Cheers General! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheldonVilla Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 General, Last night several Rapid Vienna fans (wearing their team colours) were allowed entrance to the Holte Suite (prior to the game) and once in the door immediately starting singing and goading the supporters in the bar. Naturally they didn't get a very good welcome and the situation soon deteriorated into abuse being hurled in both directions. Can you confirm if the Holte Suite was open for all last night or only for Season Ticket holders and if so why away fans were let in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerms Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 General,, I know Im amongst a minority today, but I thought it was a good performance last night. I think the signing of warnock is a very good one. I cant get to that many games living in scotland , but if I could I would of been there, some fans take so much for granted, they seem to forget the o leary days, the doom and gloom of years past and they forget the massive strides forward we have taken since the change at the top, I think our early exit will be a blessing in disguise and we will actually break that top 4 now,, league cup and Fa cup double ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b6bloke Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Hi General, Gutted we are out of Europe but some good performances last night and i would like to acknowledge that, i do think RV deserved to go through last nigh and wish them the best of luck. I just wanted to show that even in defeat we can compliment as long as the team play well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubby Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Shame to go out on the away goals last night. Its a horrible feeling winning a game but losing a tie in such a way but even if we tried our best we must move on quickly starting on Sunday. We can get something this season, we are good enough and should use the fewer games to be played to our advantage. Is there any news on Curtis and his injured shoulder? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blunther Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Hi General, Gutted we are out of Europe but some good performances last night and i would like to acknowledge that, i do think RV deserved to go through last nigh and wish them the best of luck. I just wanted to show that even in defeat we can compliment as long as the team play well. Seconded! General, I'd be grateful if you could check your PM when you have a moment. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Hi General, It was a decent performance last night but unfortunately we couldn't see it through. I think Rapid were the deserved winner's overall and could possibly have won more comfortably. The worrying thing for me, is that these are not a top European outfit, nowhere near in fact. We went into the game knowing that we would need to score at least 2 goals to go through and after 35 minutes of the game, the giant screen showed that Villa had 0 shots off target and only 1 shot on target - the missed penalty from Young! Although we went on to create a few more chances and score a couple, Rapid had the best chances to score last night. The change of formation and team selection had myself and a lot of other fans baffled, even before kick-off! Maybe 4-4-2 was correct from the start but it was clear as day that Rapid were more attack minded after we scored our second. Everybody around me thought that we should change the formation to 4-5-1 and bring the pace of Gabby on up front, but this didn't happen and Rapid got the goal their play deserved. I also have to say that I feel really sorry for Curtis Davies and what he is having to go through due to the lack of numbers in defence. Before last night's game started, the screen showed highlights of last seasons victory over Ajax, the highest profile opponents faced during our most recent "assault" on Europe. The two Villa goals that night were scored by Martin Laursen and Gareth Barry, our two "best quality" players in my opinion. I wondered who, out of last night's Villa team, were up to the standard of those two players. This is where I think Villa's problems lie General. I do not think that we have managed to replace our two "best" players. Not only were they quality but they were also the main leaders of the team. I am not being critical of the players that we have signed, no way. I just simply believe that we have lost the best quality that we had. MON said over 12 months ago that we need a player of craft and guile. We still don't seem to have found that player and it concerns me. That type of player does not come cheap. We were reportedly offering around 70k per week to keep Barry. This is the kind of money we will have to offer to bring in the same quality, simply because you get what you pay for. I know you say that MON has his idea of player that can fit into his team and style of play. That's fine as long as his style of play gets us to where he and the chairman wants us to be. However, there are only so many gritty and determined players you can have in a squad. To mix it with the big boys you need to have your fair share of flair players too. Players that can do something different and change a game in an instant. I am not against MON and I sincerely hope that he can take the club where he and Randy want it to go. I am just concerned that he makes some very frustrating and strange decisions regarding player recruitment, team selection and formation. I hope that now we don't have this competition to worry about, we will be able to concentrate fully on finishing in a League placing high enough to qualify us for European football next season. This is going to be very difficult though, especially as we now have the extra competition for places from Spurs and Man City. I am hoping that MON gives the remaining 2 cup competitions HIS fullest concentration, as this may well be our best chance of playing European football next season! Up The Villa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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