Burton v Villa

[samhubball]

We go to the biggest Albion in the Midlands tonight, looking for our 3 win in a row after not replacing Steve Bruce 3 weeks ago like some fans wanted (is that still new manager syndrome??)

What's everyone's line up?

We are away but I'd expect to play Davis and Kodija up front and have a back 4.

[bongosdad]

I would pick the same 11.

[MissWinnie]

Goal! Well done Davis (and Elmo!)

[MissWinnie]

I do believe we have two now!! :D

Big congrats to Adomah (and Snodgrass)!

[bongosdad]

Bruce out!

[MissWinnie]

Snodgrass! I knew there was a reason why I used to pick you for my FL :D!

[bongosdad]

Get the there snoddy!

[bongosdad]

4-0 sack Bruce

[mondaze]

decent performance. no complaints.

[MissWinnie]

Congats to Adomah for his brace, not forgetting the assist by Hogan.


A big well done to all. :star:

[samhubball]

Snodgrass! I knew there was a reason why I used to pick you for my FL :D!

He was inmy first draft this year!

Well done lads! 3 wins in a row in the league. I said we needed 25 points from 9 games to be in with a chance. Keep it up

[bongosdad]

We're only 4 points from 2nd. Although wolves do have a game in hand. Bruse has assembled probably the best squad in the league.

[stateside]

Again, it is a step in the right direction. They are taking their chances and defending well so that is a good thing. As Cloughy said, the goal was against the run of play, the second was miss hit and it killed them. But, for all their pluck they weren't good enough for our back four.

Second half was more of a containment job. I was okay with that.

Whelan looked good in the second half from the little I saw. Onomah looks like a player!

Encouraging, we need to put away Bolton. Historically this is the game we let points slip and we can't afford this.

[ozfan]

4-0 sack Bruce

Why, in the middle of a great win are you sticking it into the fans? We've been so bad for so long it was becoming harder to be optimistic about any manager that came in. Best squad in the league? Again your canons going off while it's still holstered. I'll save that until we've played the likes of Leeds, Cardiff etc.

[stateside]

Why, in the middle of a great win are you sticking it into the fans? We've been so bad for so long it was becoming harder to be optimistic about any manager that came in. Best squad in the league? Again your canons going off while it's still holstered. I'll save that until we've played the likes of Leeds, Cardiff etc. Great call Tulip.

[freer]

Why, in the middle of a great win are you sticking it into the fans? We've been so bad for so long it was becoming harder to be optimistic about any manager that came in. Best squad in the league? Again your canons going off while it's still holstered. I'll save that until we've played the likes of Leeds, Cardiff etc.

http://www.animatedimages.org/data/media/2117/animated-applause-smiley-image-0004.gif (http://www.animatedimages.org/cat-applause-smileys-and-smilies-2117.htm)

His inappropriateness knows no boundaries Oz !!

[bongosdad]

Your negativity holds no bounds freer. If I get criticised and ridiculed for being happy we won our 2nd game I have every right to take the p.

Quote Originally Posted by freer.

Being our prominent luminary on Villa & astute student on Mr Bruce's (bewildering) strategies

Care to explain w/t/f were the positives ?

Did your myopia prevent you from seeing Forrest played us off the park for the whole of the second half ??

Once again we just scraped home -contrary to your feelings back in La-la land, the relief around Villa Park was palpable as the referee blew his whistle for full time

Apart from Jimmy Danger’s performance & as mentioned earlier “a win is a win”

The only real positive
NO cheffing Gabby.

[stateside]

Your negativity holds no bounds freer. If I get criticised and ridiculed for being happy we won our 2nd game I have every right to take the p.

Quote Originally Posted by freer.

Being our prominent luminary on Villa & astute student on Mr Bruce's (bewildering) strategies

Care to explain w/t/f were the positives ?

Did your myopia prevent you from seeing Forrest played us off the park for the whole of the second half ??

Once again we just scraped home -contrary to your feelings back in La-la land, the relief around Villa Park was palpable as the referee blew his whistle for full time

Apart from Jimmy Danger’s performance & as mentioned earlier “a win is a win”

The only real positive
NO cheffing Gabby.

I am sure he still stands by that statement. Yesterday has no bearing on that game. However, the facts are that this team came into a hugely important season woefully under prepared. It was okay to lose but to look so bad losing was and is unacceptable. Chelsea, who like us are the big boys in their division came out of the off season looking awful, but pulled it around with a solid second half scoring with 10 and 9 men. Then have looked solid since.

Actually, our first game was probably the best game we've played but failed to win, then we're disgraced at Cardiff and only slightly better than disgraced at Reading. We are on an upward curve, but we have to keep winning, but we still have to play better. We can't always rely on getting 4 goals on 6 shots.

We are around 9th still so in terms of grades Bruce is still failing, so talk to us when we are top 6 and we'll listen.

[bongosdad]

We're far from the finished article I agree stateside and Bruce isn't immune from criticism.
However all I said was its a pleasing win and then I get a barrage of unpleasant comments.
People in glass houses comes to mind

[TrianonDave]

At the minute, even I cannot find anything to whinge about. We just not beeter muck it up v Bolton cos this game can set our season alight!

Come on Villa

[stateside]

We're far from the finished article I agree stateside and Bruce isn't immune from criticism.
However all I said was its a pleasing win and then I get a barrage of unpleasant comments.
People in glass houses comes to mind That's not all you said though is it? Every goal was emphasised with a Bruce out comment to prove your point.

The thing is we have won 3 league games in a row sandwiched around a piss poor performance against Middlesbrough which we really didn't care too much about except we could have been competitive a bit; and his job is rightly secure at the moment. But, as you say it is a work in progress and we have to actually dominate a game or two before we will be firmly in his corner. It's nice to beat a little side with low paid players 4-0. It is something we couldn't do under Lambert and even struggled to win with O Neill, but we still looked for long periods of the game to be the side that was actually losing 4-0. But, credit to them and more credit if they can beat the potential banana skin on Saturday.

[freer]

I get criticised and ridiculed I have every right to take the p .

Whilst everyone's chuffed 3 consecutive wins

We ain't quite at the level of Arsenal Invincible’s ( just yet anyway)

So lets postpone the ticker tape parade down New Street

Quietly reverse your open topped bus back into Digbeth bus depot – for the time being eh ?

As for your “ridiculed & criticised “

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/hand-gestures/facepalm-gesture-smiley-emoticon.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)


Bongo your like a baby's diaper I.e Self absorbing & full of

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/word/crap-emoticon.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)

[stateside]

To be fair Free. If it was our local neighbours to the Yam, there would be a Burton 0 Olbyon 4 commemorative DVD out.

[bongosdad]

No to be fair even if we get promoted the citisim will not change because we're not like arsenal.

[samhubball]

Onomah got the 4th, some websites listed it as Adomah as the names are similar.


I think bongo was trying to be funny with the "Bruce out" stuff. But, maybe misplaced... 3 wins in a row guys - give credit where it's due. No team has ever played and won amd looked fantastic for the whole 48 game season.

Onwards amd upwards with a couple of tricky games now

[bongosdad]

Spot on Sam I was trying to be funny. Funnily enough I reckon Sam saw the funny side. It's the Bruse out brigade that seem to be a bit touchy.

[stateside]

How about we outplay a team and win? Too much to ask? You're right Bongo though. He gets us promoted with Dad's army and then what?

Johnstone. United will now be asking Pickford prices and it will be an auction of clubs after him.
Elmo. Wasn't that good in the prem in his prime. Will need to promote Bree. Is he ready?
Taylor. Downward slope was third in Swansea's pecking order and Borg ain't quite ready for the first team in this league. Let alone the prem.
Chester - Keep
Terry Retired Will need to promote Suliman or buy. Suliman will want away.
Whelan. Will sell for half what we paid to a Championship team and same with Jedi
Snodgrass- Will either go to West Ham or he'll have his choice of clubs. We'll be front runners to keep him
Adomah - Will keep but he's now 30-31? And hardly any top flight experience
Hourihane- Keep if possible
Lansbury- Keep if he improves
Onomah- Will be back to Spurs replace with Grealish
Kodjia- If we are up he has had back to back good seasons so may have to sell, but will get decent money
Davis Keep

So we will need 5-7 starters at Prem level including pretty much a new back four. Bruce took 8 games to get them to gel this season playing frigging Brentford who lost all their best players in the last two windows how is it going to be starting the season with Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea?
Bruce in the same division as Potticino, Mourinho, Koeman and Konte? Mismatch. There is a reason he has lost his job after promoting clubs. Because most likely they will drop right down again. So just stay smug about a couple of decent results. I wanted a progressive manager with a long term outlook.
Southampton did so well with their pedestrian manager Colin something and looked decent at first in the prem, but the owners knew it wasn't going to last and got in Potticino. Unfortunately they are still small and lost out to Spurs and subsequently Koeman to the Toffees, but they have another progressive manager that they want for the long term or at least until Liverpool tap him up when they tire of Klopp.

[freer]

Spot on Sam I was trying to be funny. Funnily enough I reckon Sam saw the funny side. It's the Bruse out brigade that seem to be a bit touchy.

Bongo
http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/p/police/graphics-police-659493.gif (http://www.picgifs.com/graphics/)

If the police start arresting people for being funny, you'd never be brought in for questioning

[samhubball]

Hi Stateside... OK, if we were to go up this season (a big ask), your list of players needed is slightly unfair. To get promoted we would receive is...

The value of promotion to the Premier League this season for clubs that did not get parachute payments will be at least £170million and could reach a minimum £290million if they avoid relegation next year.

The figures, which come from the Deloitte Sports Business Group, are based on the extra revenue the clubs will get from the Premier League's broadcast rights next season and guaranteed parachute payments for two seasons if relegated in 2018.

(According to the Telegraph ).

Therefore, if man United wanted £15m -
£20m for Johnstone that is fine!

Would Bruce keep his job and be seen as the long term solution? Nope! He would be sacked ruthlessly at the earliest opportunity and paid his £3m compensation and then, because the premier league is the holy grail Dr x could speak to his list of potential manager he would have been tapping up since May 2018.

As for player replacement - a new back 4 is a bit harsh
I see no reason Taylor and Chester wouldn't still play, so 1 more CB and a RB needed. Midfield of Lansbury, Hourihane, Grealish, Snodgrass is ok if we buy another player so that's 1 more CM and CAM. Forwards, why would we have to sell Kodija? The best thing about you ludicrous amount in the prem is that teams no longer have to sell to one another. So we could bid £50m on a player like Ben Yedder or Icardi - strikers from European clubs as they want to play in the premier league.

It's all guess work at the moment and dreaming too. But I don't think Dr X would be quite as clueless or without a plan as you maybe are suggesting mate

[bongosdad]

Good points by both but I'm more enclined to agree with Sam on this one. I think the entire back 4 would do ok in the premiership.
I think Terry has another season in him and Elmo is a big upgrade on Hutton.
hourihane Adomah Green Kodjia Snoddy Davis would all be fine.
I imagine Gabby Lansbury Hutton and a few others will get replaced and upgraded. I think Dr x will invest heavily once were hopefully promoted.
The team looks like it's starting to gel now so the better football should come. However points are more important right now.

[samhubball]

Points mean prizes! Exactly Mr Bongo! I don't honestly care if we have 10% possession amd win a game with the ball going in of gabbys fat backside


Like I already said, no team has ever completely obliterated other teams and walked this league.

We have 9 points from the last 3 games and have scored 7 goals in the last 2 games. I fail to see where negativity can come from - except just because we already registered so used to feeling crap about our team

[samhubball]

The autocorrect is spectacular on this forum! *we are all used to feeling crap about our team

[stateside]

Hi Stateside... OK, if we were to go up this season (a big ask), your list of players needed is slightly unfair. To get promoted we would receive is...

The value of promotion to the Premier League this season for clubs that did not get parachute payments will be at least £170million and could reach a minimum £290million if they avoid relegation next year.

The figures, which come from the Deloitte Sports Business Group, are based on the extra revenue the clubs will get from the Premier League's broadcast rights next season and guaranteed parachute payments for two seasons if relegated in 2018.

(According to the Telegraph ).

Therefore, if man United wanted £15m -
£20m for Johnstone that is fine!

Would Bruce keep his job and be seen as the long term solution? Nope! He would be sacked ruthlessly at the earliest opportunity and paid his £3m compensation and then, because the premier league is the holy grail Dr x could speak to his list of potential manager he would have been tapping up since May 2018.

As for player replacement - a new back 4 is a bit harsh
I see no reason Taylor and Chester wouldn't still play, so 1 more CB and a RB needed. Midfield of Lansbury, Hourihane, Grealish, Snodgrass is ok if we buy another player so that's 1 more CM and CAM. Forwards, why would we have to sell Kodija? The best thing about you ludicrous amount in the prem is that teams no longer have to sell to one another. So we could bid £50m on a player like Ben Yedder or Icardi - strikers from European clubs as they want to play in the premier league.

It's all guess work at the moment and dreaming too. But I don't think Dr X would be quite as clueless or without a plan as you maybe are suggesting mate Maybe I didn't explain my position that well, sorry. I do agree we will be able to buy those new players, however if Bruce couldn't get this team to gel playing against second rate opponents with second rate coaches how is he going to get them to gel against the top teams?
As for Kodjia. If he has proven himself everyone is going to want him. We couldn't stop clubs stripping us of Milner, Barry, Drowning and Young when we were top 6. We couldn't stop them from stealing Benteke and Snake when we were bottom 6, now we would be newbies and we will struggle to keep him if the right club comes along and gets into his agents ear.

Taylor will be eaten alive in the prem. He is doing a great job for us but he's not getting any younger and last time he was there he was getting dropped and dropped further.

[TrianonDave]

Help, I cannot see Aston Villa anywhere near the mid to bottom of the championship table! Have we been deleted? Now then, I don't want any smart answers like' look higher' silly.😎

[samhubball]

Look higher silly



OK, imagine we get promoted - Kodija gets 20+ goals and we go up. Bruce adds to the squad - but builds around the following players:

Johnstone (bought for £20m)
Chester
Elmo
Adomah
Snodgrass (bought for £10m)
Lansbury
Hourihane
Kodija

Players who hopefully have done well by the end of the season like

Davis
Green
Bree

He then adds a further loan deal for

Onomah

That's 12 players who could regularly start and do ok in the premier league (imo)

And that's only spending an over the top fee of £30m.

We bring in the likes of Callum Wilson, McArthur, Mbemba, Targett - experienced and sensible acquisitions or look abroad in the French league and we have the basis of a team that has played together with some younger lads coming in too.

Southampton didn't sell van Dyke, Liverpool didn't sell coutinho, Ozil and sanchez weren't sold by arsenal. The fact is now with the TV money clubs don't need to sell.

[stateside]

It's not about need to sell it is about agents telling their players how much better off they would be at Athletico Madrid over Chelsea. As we have this discussion I read that Arsenal, Everton and Manchester United have scouts watching Keinan Davis.

[stateside]

Just spoke to a friend. A rare breed, an American who doesn't support the glamorous teams that they all like out here, but supports the Vanilla.

He asked me this. You've seen Palace play this season right? I said yes. He said how do you think that Palace team would get on vs this Villa team? I said, Benteke is not injured right? He said nope. Benteke plays.

They'd kill us. I answered.
He said Yep.

I am hoping we can get to play them in the cup in January to see if Villa can prove me wrong. I think it would be a great gauge of what we need to do.

[TrianonDave]

Palace are pants, the new young and hungry Beast would see them off. Palace will be relegated this season for sure.
Who would win? Villa at home in the cup, in the current form I would say us.

[samhubball]

I tell you what - if palace are relegated it shows that with some teams it isn't about the manager or the players - theres something psychological going on. Newcastle should never have found themselves relegated with the team and manager they had at the time. Same with when west ham went down. The likes of wigan, Sunderland and us is different. We had all been ciruling the drain for ages.

If we went up this year and place down then that would be 3 players I'd want to snap up straight away

Townsend
Zaha
Benteke.

I bet he would come back to where he felt loved and at his best too!

[stateside]

I think it would be a perfect cup tie if they field a strong side to see where we have to improve.

[stateside]

They were unlucky not to score when I saw them. Benteke hit a snap shot from 2 yds out that keeper only go to because of his good positioning. But, they didn't do much else and were brushed aside.

I still think they'd beat us. Same with last seasons Hull before they lost Niasse, McGuire and that fast midfielder they had, oh and Elmo still decent. But, think he'll be too old for the prem next season.