Well, that wasn’t pretty, was it?
I’m struggling to think of a more boring game and given that we’ve experienced plenty of them over the last few years, that’s saying something.
The whole game can probably be summed up by the lines from one of the commentators I was listening too, where he said;
“This is the Prem. This is supposed to be the best we’ve got”
And he was absolutely correct.
The standard of set pieces and balls in general, from both sides was woeful and backs up my claim that the Premiership is just a load of over-hyped rubbish.
I’m not going to go into the ins and outs of the game too much, as it really doesn’t matter and all that really did, was the result. Which we simply didn’t get.
On the face of it, a draw at the Baggies isn’t too bad a result really and I’d have happily taken it, if we weren’t in our current situation.
But we needed a win and the annoying thing is I think we could have got it, if we’d actually gone for it, as frankly Albion were no better and it could even be said that they were actually worse than us on the day.
Yes, maybe we should have had a penalty and I was calling the referee all sorts at the time, but my feeling was that he let a lot of things go, in an effort to keep the game flowing, something many fans have called for, for years.
It was a fairly robust type of game, just the sort you expect to see in a Derby and I was personally glad the ref did play it that way.
I doubt some of you will agree.
So in a game where I thought Gil looked bright, Gana worked hard and Ayew looked dangerous, again it doesn’t matter.
We needed the points, but ultimately didn’t get them.
Albion will comfortably survive, but we won’t, because it’s too late.
And that’s frustrating, given that we at least matched them today.
Eric Black is a strong appointment at No2.Well experienced and was Remis choice.Im ready for the drop got my head round it.If Garde can pull it off and keep us up I think it would be a miracle but it is still possible.Team is improving defence is more solid with Richards at RB.We are creating chances and playing better football we just need that cutting edge upfront.Rumours of Christian Santos have been around for a short while.We really need that goal scoring clinical striker.But if all attempts fail and we drop we still can say we are improving and Garde knows what he is doing.Hollis wants a run of same staff in place for a long period for stability which I think will do us good.We need to reroot ourselves get some solid foundations to grow again.Im going to stick my neck out and say I feel we are going in the right direction now manager wise.Lets hope Hollis is better at stearing the big ship at his end.utv
Eric f**king Black ffs? I really don’t get this. He’s been coaching at Rotherham a team presently sitting 21st in the Championship, they’ve lost 17 from 28 games and have conceded 49 goals, oh yea this guy sounds the real deal.
Yet another underwhelming appointment at VP.
Silly me I forgot the most important thing…
He probably comes cheap.
He has been involved with a lot of clubs that have subsequently been relegated, so he’ll be a useful asset when the inevitable happens this season at VP…
Involved with a lot of clubs that have relegated?
What glowing reference but he’ll fit right at home at VP.
MATE it’s like going straight to the dignitas clinic before being diagnosed with a terminal illness.
He can speak French.
Doubt it Giddy he’s a Scot, they have trouble with English.
I think Swansea’s win today as all but condemned us, I really thought that they, Norwich and Sunderland were the 3 teams we may possibly catch, a pipe dream I know but I accept that dream is now over. Bournemouth are way too good to go down in my view and Newcastle will probably have a bit too much.
We need a striker Jay Dee, you’re right, but can’t see a good one coming in now, I’d hoped for Charlie Austin or Steven Naismith but those ships have sailed. I also think a real creative spark in midfield would help, we all sneered at Lambert when he tried to bring Wes Hoolahan in, but every time I see him play he looks class, I guess Norwich wouldn’t sell to Lambert though!
And I hoped to win the lottery Dave and there was more chance of that than Randy paying Austin100k a week.
True BWS, but worth Randy taking the gamble if Austin’s goals had kept us in the Prem, I guess we’ll never know now!
You’re spot on Big D, what an impact he had yesterday but as you say, we’ll never know.
The game followed the equally depressing interview with the board.
It might be fanciful to say the club planned to get relegated this season, I am sure they would deny it. However like going on holiday leaving the doors and windows unlocked and forgetting to cancel the newspapers isn’t planning to get burgled, it is high risk strategy that invites a bad result.
This season, unlike last or next, is the worst one to suffer relegation because of the change in finances. That should have dictated to a board knowing anything about football that they needed to follow Sherwood’s wishes and get enough experienced pros in to finish above 3 of Bournemouth, Norwich, Sunderland, Newcastle and Swansea.
Forget the froggy youngsters idea until next season because they were a high risk strategy from which Newcastle continue to suffer – we did not even have to guess – we just had to look. The second part of the error was not firing Sherwood at the beginning of the Summer when he told them he did not like their buying policy, if they were still pig-headed enough to ignore his concerns. They may not have got anyone who would have done better. As for the performance director and chief scout – well I have fired people in my field for similar shoddy work.
The commentary of the board meeting with AVFT was that Fox is in self-denial of culpability and Hollis does not know what type of business he is running. It isn’t just like any other business, that comment betrays ignorance and arrogance in equal measure.
Premiership football has similarities to show-business and high end supermarkets. When the customers leave they must be sufficiently enthused to be looking forward to their next visit. It should not be forgotten that they can “shop” in front of a small screen, they do not have to visit your premises at all. Offering an inferior range of products that the management thinks the customers can be fobbed off with, is a guarantee of disaster.
Are Fans different from Customers? Right across the city is an example that says maybe not. Cadbury has lost Fans, and remote Yankee management and a reduction in quality has its echo in B6.
Cadbury did indeed lose a massive percentage of it’s customers by messing and cheapening the recipe. Bit like the Villa.
We’re down. Have been for several months. Very, very few positives to speak of at our club. Rotherham…you couldn’t make it up.
Yes Rotherham?? We are certainly going for a man who knows how to get us out of the championship at the first attempt. But through the trap-door.
OLL – it seems his main skill is his ability to speak French
So can Platini and I don’t his diary’s full at the moment.
That was a poor attempt at irony!
Done deal Debuchy coming in thes week lads.
Mathieu Debuchy is set to complete a loan move from Arsenal to Aston Villa this week, reports say.
The French defender will join the Villans on loan until the end of the season.
But he rejected a permanent transfer to the club, according to French outlet L’Equipe.
Debuchy is desperate for playing time ahead of Euro 2016 and will now join the Premier League strugglers.
Villa have undergone a mini revival under Remi Garde and are unbeaten in five matches but most believe that they will still be relegated this season.
MORE: Arsenal make new offer to sign Prem star
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/01/25/mathieu-debuchy-to-join-aston-villa-on-loan-from-arsenal-this-week-5642369/#ixzz3yFGFikSF
Debuchy even on loan is a good deal. Where’s the striker(s) though?
My feeling is that Remi is now sorting out the defence (much better than the wet paper bag we had at the start of the season) but we desperately need some firepower up front. I daresay that the likes of Austin would have turned us down anyway so we need someone who will be willing to join us which means the lower leagues or from abroad.
Personally I’d prefer someone from the Championship after all that where Vardy, Mahrez, Ighalo and Deeney came from and they’re not doing too bad.
Also means that they’d be in a familiar setting when we go down.
Until it’s a done deal I’ll believe it no one else Inc SSN have picked this up.
Can’t see anything on the BBC either (sigh)
What the fucks going on? http://www.90min.com/posts/2897778-mathieu-debuchy-set-for-bayer-leverkusen-loan-after-aston-villa-pull-out…
Bill it was always a non starter MATE imo the club have to look like there looking,VILLA have a shopping list of excuses already prepared to pull out of deals.they knew the loan fee would be out of there reach like they probably knew kalinic never had a hope of a work permit its all invented bollox to show effort to the fans.we’re a FUCKING joke like the poxy excuses
is garde another fucking puppet has he no balls tell poxy fox stick his job where the sun don t shine, even in my small world no buisness sense at all at villa board level gamble 25/35 m on few players to try stay up we ll need them when we go down anyhow cause shower shite we have won t come back any time soon,when we are down we have to hit start next season like a train or i can see more relegation battles to come,only thing our glorious prick of owner does is appoint another bean counter hollis another clueless appointment,if we don t get 4 players in this week season tickets should be ripped up at half time v city in cup followed by walkout with boycott of villa park shops to follow try to sell then lerner you edit
There was a indication last week this wasn’t going to happen when Fox / Hollis said they weren’t going to invest in short term fixes and the £1.25m loan fee wasn’t good value given our position. On balance I agree. If anyone comes in it will not be a short term loan.
The same report said we are looking for a CB and a striker.
fox /hollis
have not a clue between them but what deal did garde sign up to in november when he took job,we where mess then and in all honesty it hasnt got much better
fox is one of biggest problems in our history and the longer hestays in power we are fucked stoke wba leicster will have 100m more money than us next season ,and how many clubs bounce back straight away ,we have been shite since mon walked lost to lower league sides time after time so how do fox hollis lerner think next year our squad can suddenly start winning football matches ha ha some chance
Signing Debuchy to the end of the season will make no difference to our season. If he had been prepared to sign a long term deal, fair enough but his only reason for coming was to put himself in the shop window.
Think it more has to do with the Euros, I’m sure there’s a few clubs who’d take him, he just wouldn’t be automatic 1st choice like he will with us.
And on the possibility we stay up as he’s much better than Hutton who’s largely cost us just about every goal when he’s played, it gives us a better shot, although still a minimal chance, he might sign for us permanently.
Agreed Andrew – shop window for selection for French national side
Don’t think it’s a bad signing though, shows we’re not giving up and doubt we’d sign someone as good as him permanently in January. Gives us a chance of staying up while leaving us the money if we go down to buy a RB over the summer.
I don’t believe a word the Club spout.
With you, what a fuck up, they dont deserve fans , all what’s working for Aston Villa are con men of the first order, your right Giddy right arsoles the lot.
Andrew…gives us a chance of staying up? I’d have put you in the pragmatic camp rather than the delusional camp!
Damn it, you’re right. How dare I think with 15 games left to go we might have a chance to make up 10 points. We’ll be lucky to even get 10 points from those games. Did I do it right?
Anyways… Debuchy’s miles better than Hutton or Richards at RB. Won’t cost us near the points Hutton has done which has been a huge reason to where we are now.
To pick up ten points is one thing. To ask nicely if all the clubs above us will do us a favour and not collect a single point during that time is another thing entirely. And we’d actually need 11 points with our current GD.
…and don’t be a patronising dick all your life either.
Sorry, when called delusional I tend to… Become a dick.
Anyways… I would argue RB (IE: Hutton) has cost us 10+ points this season, and any better RB would not have done so. So going off that, I do think a new RB along with a striker of course could easily get us 10 extra points to catch our rivals. Seeing the GD is only 5 between us and 17th, I think 10 would do it.
Am I saying we’ll stay up? Of course not, but the way we’re controlling games under Garde, even when we lose, we still look a good side. Getting players into the box has been a problem but it’s getting there at least. And with 15 games left to play, I still believe we can do it if a Rb and striker comes in. Which I think Garde will do his best this week to get them done.
Debuchy wouldn’t keep us up anyway, he’s an above average player but that’s it. We need a striker to hit the back of the net, it’s goals that will keep us up and unfortunately we don’t have any in the team, well not enough anyway. Unless a youth player like sellars can come in and be a revelation (unlikely) I don’t think there’s anything else we can do. A decent striker wouldn’t want to come to us in our situation so we’re a bit fucked!
Christian Benteke back to us, on loan for rest of season if Liverpool sign Texeira.
Can’t see it happening, but would give us a massive lift.
Benteke would never go out on loan to us. Liverpool will flog him in summer totally the wrong club for him. He was woeful again tonight and still gets caught offside. I’m not sure he would be as good as last season anyway
All this talk of benteke on loan is laughable. He couldn’t wait to get away from us, no way would he for one second think about coming back.
Benteke loan – not going to happen.