The Aston Villa "lets not out stay our welcome and return to the premiership asap" thread.

by westisbest Wed 11 May - 21:11

First topic message reminder :

Ok, so writing this a little early, but in fairness we have been down for months.
Been an absolute shocking season to say the least.

With poitive talks of a new owner on the way, managers being touted about.
Pearson would be my choice, although hearing Di Matteo is now favourite.
Hopefully some good news comes out of this.

Players i hope leave in summer:-

Guzan, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Richardson, Sinclair, Gabby, Sanchez, Kozak, N'Zogbia, Westwood.

Thats alot of players to get rid of.

Players who have been out on loan.

Baker, can stay at Bristol City.
Bennett, back up to Amavi(if he stays).
Steer, can go.
Gardner, definatly keep, will be like a new signing.

Players in.
off the top of my head.

David Marshall, for me best keeper in champioship.
Cyrus Christie, every time i have seen him play for Derby and Ireland he has looked good. Need a new rb.
Alan Judge, had a great season with Brentford, would be a good addition.
Ross McCormack, his name has been touted around with us, could be a decent signing.
Wessi for the experience.
Will Grigg, scored a load for Wigan, i know its a step up in leagues, but he could do well.

Just a few names there, again just off the top of my head.

Will be difficult, but we really need to keep hold of Ayew and Amavi.

Youngsters.
Andre Green, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Kevin Toner, Jordan Lyden.
These 4 our the main ones for the future. Had a taste of first team action. Hopefully continue to get some first team action next season.

I would take Petrov back, moreso as experience for the team, especially the youngsters. Maybe in a coaching role. I know he wants to play, dont think he would get much first team action.

So the squad would look something like:-

Marshall, Bunn
Christie, Hutton, Okore, Clarke, Toner, Amavi, Bennett, Richards.
Judge, Wessi, Gana, Veretout, Traore, Gardner, Gil, Lyden, Green, Grealish
Ayew, Gestede, Hepburn-Murphy, McCormack, Grigg.

Again, this is just off the top of my head, re signings/squad, am sure we may sign 'better players' whoever they may be.

I know the championship will be tough. Games come thick and fast.
Really hope Pearson is the next manager. He knows the league, wont take any sh1t and will get the players performing.

Its a sad goodbye to the premiership and hello champioship.

Here's to a short stay and boune straight back up(whatever the squad is) Ale

by kwinigolfer Mon 8 Jan - 15:14

westi,
I see you lost Nigel Sims and Alan Deakin in the past week or so. One for your grandfather to reminisce about no doubt.
Think Deakin is probably the best football player I ever shared a pitch with - a long time ago.

by westisbest Mon 8 Jan - 19:20

Yeah saw that.
Yes, but before my time.

RIP.

by westisbest Mon 15 Jan - 18:40

RIP Cyril’s Regis.
Another ex villa player gone to soon.

by **Galted** Mon 15 Jan - 19:34

Was sad news - Ugo, Atkinson, Regis, nearly a year to the day since Graham Taylor, the list grows too quickly.

by westisbest Wed 17 Jan - 21:17

https://www.facebook.com/AstonVillaTheInformer/videos/1480150855431312/

Great words from Dion on Regis

by Guest Wed 17 Jan - 21:23

He commented on the FA Cup programme earlier. Watered my eyes a bit.

Class act is Dion clap

I notice your boys are putting a little run together, Westy. Play Offs at least I'd say but 2nd isn't out of reach.

Good luck for the rest of the season, buddy

by westisbest Thu 18 Jan - 20:37

Cheers freek.

Really hoping we can go up this season.

Even at this stage, think 2nd spot could be between Villa Derby and Cardiff.

Next four games are Barnsley h, Sheffield Utd a, Burton h, blues h.
Got to be looking at 9 points form the three home games.
Not easy. If we can get those 9 ( hopefully 12), we will be in a great spot.

Could do with a forward on loan this month.

by westisbest Tue 30 Jan - 21:58

Boom. Really good win.
Don’t think we deserved it, but will defiantly take it.
5 wins in a row now in the league.

Burton and the blues at home next 2 games.

Still a way to go, got to be confident we can go up this season.

by Guest Tue 13 Mar - 22:59

I went up tonight. Awful performance. Top 2 probably a dead duck now.

Good vibe about the place, mind.

by **Galted** Tue 13 Mar - 23:32

Probably a hangover from a good derby win, same happened against Fulham after the win against the rags.

by Guest Tue 13 Mar - 23:37

Yeah. Speaking of Fulham, they're starting to pick up some steam. Play-Offs are looking like a pick em.

I wrote a Limerick on one of the bog walls just for you Galty Hug

by **Galted** Wed 14 Mar - 8:16

I'm very touched, Freek (and not in a Savile way).

by westisbest Wed 14 Mar - 21:04

Very disappointing last night after such a good win Saturday.

Think we would need to win practically all our remaining games and hope Cardiff slip up for us to get second.

At the moment we could be in danger of finishing fourth.

by **Galted** Wed 14 Mar - 21:22

westisbest wrote:
At the moment we could be in danger of finishing fourth.

I'm quite happy with that danger given the last two or three seasons.

by westisbest Sat 31 Mar - 20:44

Poor this evening. Adomah forgot his scoring boots.
Not going to go up playing like that.

Great to see Kodjia back, but as a team, we need to do better.

by westisbest Sat 7 Apr - 14:17

Pi55 poor today.

Absolute no fight or passion.
Pathetic.
No way will be win the play offs at this rate.

Well done Norwich wanted it more. That Murphy is quality.

Doesn’t help when you have two rubbish full backs.
Taylor is not even league 2 standard.

SHOCKING NO FING FIGHT.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sat 7 Apr - 15:49

The difference between Fulham and you guys was incredible, you were so so poor no tempo, no desire, just going through the motions it looked like

by westisbest Tue 10 Apr - 21:55

That’s better.
Not a great game, but 3 points.
Some goal from young Jack.
Johnstone played well to keep us in the game.

We’re still in this race, beat Leeds, then hope Cardiff and Fulham slip up.

If only we hadn’t skipped up since Wolves win.
Keep the faith.

by westisbest Fri 13 Apr - 22:23

Another 3 points, but again not great.
Few missed chances.

Hoping now Cardiff and Fulham slip up, can’t see both losing.

by westisbest Sat 28 Apr - 19:08

Like to see a different side next Sunday. Rest a lot of the first team for play offs.

Hopefully guys like O’Hare, Doyle-Hayes, Green, Landsbury,
Davis given a start.

by westisbest Tue 15 May - 15:35

RIP Jlloyd Samuel.
Died this morning in a car crash, after dropping his kids off at school.
Very sad.

Think our club is cursed.

by Guest Tue 15 May - 15:43

RIP Jlloyd Samuel rose

by Guest Tue 15 May - 23:54

That's another sickener. 37 is just a baby. RIP.

by westisbest Sat 26 May - 13:33

Tough game ahead. Confident we can win.
Think it will be a close game whoever wins.

Hopefully a return to the prem is just a few hours away.

UTV

by westisbest Thu 21 Jun - 9:33

First 4 games

Hull a
Wigan h
Ipswich a
Reading h

Winnable games.
Need to get off to a good start.
Hopefully we can.

Let’s hope club in a bit better shape come start of the season.

by westisbest Mon 23 Jul - 15:16

Not sure how much truth in this, but read we have 3rd richest owners in English football, after Man City and Wolves.

Can’t really spend much till we get back to the premiership, with ffp and losing parachute payments.

The roller coaster continues.

by GSC Tue 24 Jul - 1:00

Currently debating whether to pay Bruce off 2m and appoint Thierry

by westisbest Wed 25 Jul - 18:36

Just been confirmed that Bruce is staying.

Thank god for that.

Don’t want Henry anywhere Villa.

by westisbest Mon 6 Aug - 21:42

Decent start.
Bit edgy at the back at times.
Need to make some changes overall.

Kodjia is to damn selfish.

Really hoping RHM gets game time this seasonand Green starts games.
Need to play some youngsters.

Heading up for Wigan game Saturday. Hopefully another 3 points.

by westisbest Tue 18 Sep - 21:45

Not the best tonight, but got the win.

Good to see Abraham and Bolasie score.
Hopefully we can start winning a few games again, not sure though with Bruce’s style.

by westisbest Fri 28 Sep - 22:07

Frustrating again tonight.

Think it’s time for Bruce to go. Now while we are not to far off play offs. Keep playing players out of position. Nobody starting out wide.
Crazy.

Not good enough.

Some very good players for this division, just not performing.
This keeper is dreadful. Costing us points.

I like Bruce as a person, we need someone else in, who will play a more attacking style of football.

We will finish mid table at best at this rate.

Would like to see Dean Smith take over. Villa fan and doing very well with Brentford.

by **Galted** Sat 29 Sep - 10:48

It has stagnated, relying on a blood and guts approach with no tactical nous. Look capable of putting the odd run together which might be enough to get to the playoffs but he should be doing more with the squad at his disposal.

by westisbest Tue 2 Oct - 21:45

Fk sake penalty to win the game last kick of the game and Glenn fkng Whelan steps up. FFS.

Frustrating/annoying to say the least.

by westisbest Wed 3 Oct - 16:40

Bruce sacked then. Had to go In fairness.
Do like him as a bloke, but going nowhere fast under him.

by **Galted** Wed 3 Oct - 18:37

Agree with the above. Halted the slide but need someone with ideas.

by **Galted** Wed 3 Oct - 19:14

A few people on the BBC HYS have mentioned Big Sam. I will stop following football if that were to happen.

by westisbest Wed 3 Oct - 19:35

Seen front runners are Henry and Dean Smith.

Wouldn’t mind dean Smith, doing well with Brentford, also he’s a villa fan.

Henry no experience.

Yeah wouldn’t be to keen on big Sam.

Other names I’ve seen are, Pardew, Pearson again, Mick McCarthy.
Hmm

by **Galted** Wed 3 Oct - 20:19

Saw Pardew mentioned which would probably be one or two decent seasons before things fall apart. Brendan Rogers also had a few mentions but I guess at this stage everyone who’s unemployed or having a bad run gets linked.

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 4 Oct - 2:13

Not sure the Pardew decent two seasons still exists. Unless he gets it on the back of “look what he did to our rivals!”

Harsh world this managing lark. One game away from success last year, now this. Big Sam would fit the bill in many ways, especially as he could probably gel quickly and a Bruce squad isn’t too far from a Sam squad.

Dean Smith a nice idea, although Brentford are a success of recruitment too. Henry is not a good idea.

by westisbest Thu 4 Oct - 7:30

Whoever it is, I hope it will be someone with championship experience.
Who knows the league.

If it’s another Remi Garde type, then we can start planning for trips to Crewe and Forest Green etc.

Just someone that’s going to play attacking football.
Players in the right position. Hutton is ok at left back mind.

We have good attacking players. Abraham, Bolasie, Kodjia, Grealish,
McGinn, our best players I would say along with Chester.

Defence is still a bit of a worry, the keeper situation is the biggest worry.
Nyland has cost us to many points, Bunn isn’t a step up.

I would have kept Steer.

by westisbest Wed 10 Oct - 22:40

Dean Smith with Terry as assistant.

Happy with that.

Hopefully they will do well and we can get back to the prem.

Need to steer getting wins now.

Certainly could of been worse.

Looking forward to seeing how they do.

by daraghj82 Thu 11 Oct - 7:45

good appointment by villa , smith has done a very good job with Brentford

by **Dolphin Ziggler** Thu 11 Oct - 9:43

Indeed, ended up with the right choice, even if I think the process of knowing who you want as assistant and getting the manager after is rather bizarre.

by **Galted** Thu 11 Oct - 10:00

Thank f*ck it wasn't Allardyce or McCarthy.

by **Galted** Thu 11 Oct - 11:26

Just read that Deadly Doug is no longer with us. Sad news.

by westisbest Thu 11 Oct - 12:16

Hopefully with terry on board, he can help bolster our defence.
Also need a new keeper in January.
For me a big error from Bruce.

Would have kept with Steer, couldn’t have been any worse than what we have now.

by westisbest Thu 11 Oct - 12:27

Galted wrote:Just read that Deadly Doug is no longer with us. Sad news.

Yes sad news indeed Galted.

RIP

by guildfordbat Sat 13 Oct - 8:43

Deadly Doug's first managerial appointment at Villa was Tommy Docherty in the late '60s. Ellis assured the new manager that he would be right behind him. Looking back on his sacking, The Doc reflected - ''I would sooner have had him in front of me. Where I could see him.'' Wink

Tbf for all his interference and sackings, Ellis deserves credit for his efforts. A self-made multi millionaire, he invested much of his money and life into the Villa. It was probably his financial support and business acumen that enabled the club to successfully continue so long whilst others - particularly close neighbours Coventry City - spent money they didn't have and suffered accordingly. I believe he was also the first chairman to appoint a foreign (non British) manager at a major English club - Jozef Venglos in 1990.

by westisbest Sat 13 Oct - 10:49

He was pretty poor if I remember correctly.
Doug was a character in fairness. Villa was in his blood.

A minutes silence next Saturday.
Shame I can’t make that game.

by westisbest Fri 26 Oct - 21:45

Bad first week for Smith and co.
Don’t think we deserved to lose to Norwich and tonight.

Just so frustrating to watch now.
Don’t see where the next win is coming from.
Will drop a few more places tomorrow.

Doesn’t help when you have players like Taylor, Nyland, Whelan, who are league 2 standsrd at best.

We’re afraid to have a shot ffs.
Spend to much time passing it sideways and backwards.

Probably write this season off already, unless we can put some wins together.

To many games till January until Smith and make some signings and get rid of some fodder.

Oh well, onto Bolton next Friday.

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